Procurement Intern

Job Description

Dutystation: Belgrade, Serbia

Functional responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the Procurement Specialist, the Intern will have the following responsibilities:

1. Procurement plans and strategy:

• Assist Procurement Officials in maintaining the overall SEEMCO procurement statistics of the Project procurement plans.

• Regularly monitor the progress of the Project(s) procurement plan implementation against corporate KPIs .

2. Pre-Solicitation stage:

• When required conduct sourcing/market research processes for goods and services using various sources, including the internet, trade publications, and other relevant references.

• Support regular update of vendor rosters.

3. Solicitation stage:

• Prepare and issue Shopping processes (SHP), support as required preparation of Requests for Quotations (RFQ), Invitations to Bid (ITB), Requests for Proposals (RFP), and other bidding documents required to ensure the competitive procurement of goods, services, and works. Where relevant, submit tenders for pre-clearance to the Procurement Reviewer.

• With the guidance of Procurement Officials, advertise tenders on the UNGM/UNOPS website as required.

• With the guidance of Procurement Officials, monitor and respond to queries from Projects, clients, companies, and other stakeholders regarding procurement matters or specific tenders.

• Ensure adherence to tender timelines, and provide relevant justification when submission durations need to be shortened.

4. Opening, evaluation and award of bids:

• Support timely bids opening and bid opening reports are prepared.

• With the guidance of Procurement Officials, prepare Bid Evaluation Reports (BERs) for works, goods, and services.

5. Contract issuance and management:

• Issue and dispatch Purchase Orders (POs), Contracts, and Amendments, ensuring that all specifications, terms, and conditions are clear, accurate, and in conformity with the internal control system.

• Ensure that contracts and POs are signed by the relevant Delegation of Authority (DOA) holders and follow up on the signing of contracts/POs by vendors.

• In coordination with logistics, maintain constant liaison with vendors and consignees to ensure the safe delivery of goods and services.

• Liaise with end users, contractors, and suppliers regarding quality deficiencies and the appropriateness of delivered goods.

• Process invoices in a timely manner.

• Monitor cumulative amounts committed to vendors.

• Coordinate with the logistics unit or project teams on the receipt of goods, equipment, and services to ensure proper delivery reports, Receiving and Inspection Reports (RIRs), or relevant certificates are obtained, and that accurate inventory is recorded..

Learning Objectives

This internship provides hands-on experience and growth opportunities in the following areas:

• Procurement planning and systems: Be able to develop a procurement plan and demonstrate how to use procurement systems to align purchasing activities with project timelines and organizational needs

• Procurement Sourcing methods:Be able to identify appropriate procurement sourcing methods based on specific procurement needs, and effectively carry out the selected sourcing process in accordance with organizational policies and procedures.

• Procurement Solicitation methods: Be able to select the appropriate solicitation method based on the procurement strategy and effectively carry out the solicitation process, ensuring transparency, competition, and compliance with procurement guidelines.

• Contract administration: Be able to determine the appropriate approach to contract administration based on the type and complexity of the contract, and effectively manage the process to ensure supplier performance, compliance, and timely delivery.

• Career development: Interns will benefit from training, exposure to procurement systems, and opportunities that support professional growth and potential future employment in the field of procurement.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

ALL CANDIDATES ARE REQUESTED TO SUBMIT A CV AND A COVER LETTER OUTLINING THEIR MOTIVATION ALONG WITH THEIR APPLICATION.


Education

• Completion of secondary school or equivalent is required.
• Applicants must be enrolled in a university programme such as Bachelor’s or Master’s or Ph.D. (or the equivalent) or have graduated from such studies within three (3) years prior to the application date of the internship.
• Pursuing or completing a degree in Procurement, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Economics, Business Administration or similar field will be considered an asset.

• While no previous work experience is required for the internship, it will be considered an asset if the applicant has:

  • Some experience in procurement

  • Experience with teamwork

  • Strong computer literacy and knowledge of Google Workspace

• Fluency in Serbian and English (speaking, reading and writing) is required

About the Organization

TOGETHER, WE BUILD THE FUTURE

UNOPS – an operational arm of the United Nations – supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by successfully implementing its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world.

Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve peace and sustainable development.

We are proud of our people and embrace diversity and are committed to equal employment opportunities. Our workforce brings together approximately 160 nationalities, represented by over 5,000 UNOPS personnel as well as some 7,800 personnel recruited on behalf of our partners. Spread across 80 countries from a range of backgrounds, and languages and have different gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities.

We encourage women and candidates from underrepresented groups in UNOPS to apply. These include candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.